It's very encouraging to receive those unsolicited comments. I'm always keen to hear more about what you like and don't like - sometimes I can embark on a subject thinking it's a winner and receive little response and other times the opposite occurs.
The Kirk conversation has been incredible. I'm grateful, for you effectively added your recollections to New Zealand's history books. The historians of tomorrow will be able to find those memories online and use them in their research into that period.
I called Norman Kirk's son, Bob, at the weekend when I was in Christchurch. Bob was one of my physical geography professors at the University of Canterbury and our paths have crossed many times since, mostly when he was an Environment Canterbury councillor and, more recently, quite frequently at the local supermarket.
I wanted to check that Bob and the Kirk family had seen all your stories about his dad. He said they had - through Otago friends who get the ODT - and really appreciated all those insights into that period in 1974.
I'm happy to say we have a few more memories of Mr Kirk to come this week.
Athol Parks, of City Walks, Mosgiel, sent these photos of the Queen Victoria statue in Queens Gardens and asks what has happened to her crown.
''For some months now she has languished on her plinth, looking more-than-usually truncated. I am pretty sure she is minus some of her headgear.
''I'm guessing the missing piece broke off, or was removed, when a traffic cone, which had been placed on her head on or around St Patrick's Day, was placed there or removed.
''I'm also guessing the missing piece was a crown or similar - refer to the photo of the likeness of Vicky on an adjacent wall. Yet when I mentioned this theory to a visitor from the UK, they were adamant that no statue of Queen Victoria would ever feature her wearing a crown. They gave some reason for this, which I no longer recall.''
Athol asks if anyone knows if her diminishment was an accident or politically motivated, and when she will be fixed.
''It's not clear how the crown came off, but it was handed in to the Dunedin Police Station about a month ago and will be replaced when restoration of the statue, including regrouting and cleaning of the bronze, is carried out in the next few months.
''This work will be done as part of a programme of monument maintenance and restoration around the city.''
Thanks Robert for the speedy reply. I'm sure Queen Victoria will be equally thankful of the speedy recovery of her crown.
Target shooting
Forget Le Coq. How about Le Pigeon?
John Burton writes about the family's experiences at the New Zealand-France rugby test at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday evening.
''Just got back from watching an excellent game of rugby, with a well-deserved win to the All Blacks.
''A word of warning, though, to anyone sitting in the ODT stand in future. Avoid Row B!
''While there's nothing wrong with the view, there's a beam high up above it where pigeons loft and my wife got 'dropped on' four times during the match.
''My granddaughter suggested that two hits was a sign of good luck but had no comment when a further two shots hit their mark!''
Norm Hewitt, of Green Island, was gobsmacked to find in the middle of his driveway a blue/black red-billed bird.
''As I approached, it turned around, spotted me and scuttled off into the bushes. I would estimate it at about 30cm to 40cm in height. Consulting Google, it looks suspiciously like a takahe. Is this possible?''
Hmmm, well probably not, Norm.
''I kept looking but saw no further movement, so the bird could have gone anywhere. I have a car park on one side and a business with quite a large sealed area on the other side. Across the road is the Kaikorai Stream.''
After more research, Norm came up with a different, and far more likely, verdict.
''We have deduced that the aforementioned visitor was probably a pukeko.
''That's the first visit in the 28 years I have been here and makes a change from two cats, the odd rabbit and a pair of inquisitive ducks who waddled down my driveway to see where it went.''
Let's hope pukeko don't start roosting above Row B in the stadium.